Childhood emotional problems and self-perceptions predict weight gain in a longitudinal regression model

BMC Medicine

Barbara Maughan¹  David Collier¹  Andrew Ternouth¹ 

[1] Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK

Others  :  1128923
DOI  :  10.1186/1741-7015-7-46

 received in 2009-07-22, accepted in 2009-09-11,  发布年份 2009

【 摘 要 】

Background

Obesity and weight gain are correlated with psychological ill health. We predicted that childhood emotional problems and self-perceptions predict weight gain into adulthood.

Methods

Data on around 6,500 individuals was taken from the 1970 Birth Cohort Study. This sample was a representative sample of individuals born in the UK in one week in 1970. Body mass index was measured by a trained nurse at the age of 10 years, and self-reported at age 30 years. Childhood emotional problems were indexed using the Rutter B scale and self-report. Self-esteem was measured using the LAWSEQ questionnaire, whilst the CARALOC scale was used to measure locus of control.

Results

Controlling for childhood body mass index, parental body mass index, and social class, childhood emotional problems as measured by the Rutter scale predicted weight gain in women only (least squares regression N = 3,359; coefficient 0.004; P = 0.032). Using the same methods, childhood self-esteem predicted weight gain in both men and women (N = 6,526; coefficient 0.023; P < 0.001), although the effect was stronger in women. An external locus of control predicted weight gain in both men and women (N = 6,522; coefficient 0.022; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Emotional problems, low self-esteem and an external locus of control in childhood predict weight gain into adulthood. This has important clinical implications as it highlights a direction for early intervention strategies that may contribute to efforts to combat the current obesity epidemic.

【 授权许可】

   
2009 Ternouth et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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